The face of a murderer. Screen capture from his video detailing his pending killing spree. My views and opinions are my own, and do not necessarily represent those of my sponsors or other organizations I am affiliated with.
As a UCLA student, I spent many weekends at the UCSB campus hanging out with friends, and socializing in the Greek system which was recently targeted by a mentally ill individual this past Friday. My sympathies go out to the victims, their families, and their friends. We have seen one too many killing sprees, and I am part of this country which wants to see them stop.
As a community, we must come together to support each other and not allow people or arguments to divide us. We can agree to disagree, but realize that we all want a stronger and safer society. We need to figure out what caused this unstable person to lose it and decide that killing people, and himself, would solve his problems.
The causes of this killing spree were made very clear in the killer’s 137 page manifesto. He felt shunned by women who he felt should have been attracted to him, he was ashamed to be a virgin, and he wanted to exact revenge on these women and other innocent people who he felt were part of the world who treated him poorly.
As a UCLA student, I spent many weekends at the UCSB campus hanging out with friends, and socializing in the Greek system which was recently targeted by a mentally ill individual this past Friday. My sympathies go out to the victims, their families, and their friends. We have seen one too many killing sprees, and I am part of this country which wants to see them stop.
As a community, we must come together to support each other and not allow people or arguments to divide us. We can agree to disagree, but realize that we all want a stronger and safer society. We need to figure out what caused this unstable person to lose it and decide that killing people, and himself, would solve his problems.
The causes of this killing spree were made very clear in the killer’s 137 page manifesto. He felt shunned by women who he felt should have been attracted to him, he was ashamed to be a virgin, and he wanted to exact revenge on these women and other innocent people who he felt were part of the world who treated him poorly.
The killer was an egotistical maniac who should not be sympathized with, but rather, understood so we can best understand the root cause of this violence. We must permit rational, reasoned debate and discussion to dominate our national discourse. Emotions cloud our judgement, giving us a false sense of security when we do what “feels right” instead of doing what makes sense.
The killer seemed to have a very unstable home life with parents who did not fully understand the implications of their son’s psychological angst. He was obsessed with World of Warcraft, a computer game that allowed him to escape the real world. Unfortunately, even in the virtual world he could not escape the pangs of real rejection and isolation when his friends would play the game together at one person’s house, and not invite the killer.
Bullying was a constant theme throughout the manifesto, and the killer clearly resented his bullies. Delusional thoughts of grandeur, fame, and wealth were recurring themes as well.
Even though guns were used in the killing spree, so were knives, and his car. It’s clear that even if the killer didn't have guns that he would have still succeeded in killing a lot of people. To me, it doesn't really matter what a criminal kills with - guns, knives, cars, bombs, bats, hammers, etc. It all ends with the same result, unnecessary death and suffering. The cause is always a person or group of people who decide to use a tool for destructive purposes.
The killer seemed to have a very unstable home life with parents who did not fully understand the implications of their son’s psychological angst. He was obsessed with World of Warcraft, a computer game that allowed him to escape the real world. Unfortunately, even in the virtual world he could not escape the pangs of real rejection and isolation when his friends would play the game together at one person’s house, and not invite the killer.
Bullying was a constant theme throughout the manifesto, and the killer clearly resented his bullies. Delusional thoughts of grandeur, fame, and wealth were recurring themes as well.
Even though guns were used in the killing spree, so were knives, and his car. It’s clear that even if the killer didn't have guns that he would have still succeeded in killing a lot of people. To me, it doesn't really matter what a criminal kills with - guns, knives, cars, bombs, bats, hammers, etc. It all ends with the same result, unnecessary death and suffering. The cause is always a person or group of people who decide to use a tool for destructive purposes.
The killer's car after the incident ended with the killer's suicide. Photo by Jae C. Hong/AP.
The Santa Barbara killing spree puts a huge spotlight on mental health being the key cause not just for this incident, but for all crimes. Stronger gun control, knife control, or car control would not have helped, but a stronger mental health system could have. California has some of the strongest gun control laws in the nation, and they did not stop this attack. In this situation, it seems helpful to ask how this young person could have found help? We oftentimes focus too much on restricting inanimate objects versus helping mentally unstable people before they do bad things.
I don’t blame guns, knives, cars, the killer’s parents, or even the bullies who the killer tied to his problems. Yes, bullying is wrong and can cause terrible pain and anguish, but that does not permit victims of bullying to commit crimes at will.
I blame the killer. The singular person who performed the action.
To add more color to the mental illness issue, approximately two-thirds of all gun deaths in the United States every year are attributed to suicide. This tells us that America has more of a suicide problem, whose root causes are many.
I don’t blame guns, knives, cars, the killer’s parents, or even the bullies who the killer tied to his problems. Yes, bullying is wrong and can cause terrible pain and anguish, but that does not permit victims of bullying to commit crimes at will.
I blame the killer. The singular person who performed the action.
To add more color to the mental illness issue, approximately two-thirds of all gun deaths in the United States every year are attributed to suicide. This tells us that America has more of a suicide problem, whose root causes are many.
UCSB student Jenn Bowman looks at a makeshift memorial for UCSB student Christopher Michael-Martinez in Isla Vista. via todayonline.com. Photo: Reuters.
However, just because it's the killer's fault does not let society off the hook. There are things we can and should take action on. If we can focus our efforts, money, and social services into tackling mental health I am confident this will help reduce deaths, both homicides and suicides. Filling our world with more love, compassion, and understanding will go a long way, as will standing up against bullying and giving a voice to the historically marginalized.
This isn’t about holding hands and wishing things will get better. This is about taking concrete action and engaging people in our communities. This is about interacting more with our families, our friends, our co-workers, and even strangers who we may not have previously given the time of day. It's about getting off our phones and paying attention to what is happening right in front of our faces. This is about helping people in need. When you hear a cry for help, be there for that person.
I am not one to pass the buck and let the government or someone else take care of a problem if I can help in any way, big or small. I commit to being more aware, patient, caring, and generous with my time for those in need. There are numerous support organizations that help the mentally ill and the disenfranchised. I encourage you research and find organizations in your area or online that align with your interests. Knowing what resources are available is the first important step, and if you feel so inclined to donate your time and/or money, then all the better.
I hope you will join me and the millions of other people in our country who want a happier, safer America.
This isn’t about holding hands and wishing things will get better. This is about taking concrete action and engaging people in our communities. This is about interacting more with our families, our friends, our co-workers, and even strangers who we may not have previously given the time of day. It's about getting off our phones and paying attention to what is happening right in front of our faces. This is about helping people in need. When you hear a cry for help, be there for that person.
I am not one to pass the buck and let the government or someone else take care of a problem if I can help in any way, big or small. I commit to being more aware, patient, caring, and generous with my time for those in need. There are numerous support organizations that help the mentally ill and the disenfranchised. I encourage you research and find organizations in your area or online that align with your interests. Knowing what resources are available is the first important step, and if you feel so inclined to donate your time and/or money, then all the better.
I hope you will join me and the millions of other people in our country who want a happier, safer America.
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